'07 WTCC Alfa- RWD 159

[Alfa Maxwell]

Alfa "homologation special" would be first Alfa RWD sedan since the Alfa 75.

"Spanish magazine Autopista reports on the possibility of an Alfa 159 WTCC Stradale, a limited production run (2.500 units) of the 159, necessary to let the car run in WTCC in 2007. As all self-respeting "Stradale" cars, it would be a thinly disguised race-car, with weight saving pushed to the maximum and a 2.0 liters turbo-charged gasoline engine outputting about 240 hp."


Kurt Maxwell
Alfa 75/Milano 2.5 Gold
"Brand new. Everything has been replaced at least one time"

[MALDI]

I hope its true, its been a bear following Alfa this season!

[dretceterini]

Unless they change the ETCC rules, the class is for normally aspirated 2 liter cars. Turbos are NOT allowed.

[alfa_chan]

They don't need TURBO to push a 2.0 to 240 if they really want to anyway.
RWD? because AWD is banned?

[DaveH]

Rumor has it the 159 will race in the US next year.

Just a rumor, OK?

[RussianM3_dude]

I'd be interested. I drove the equivalent BMW, the 320si. It has a 2.0 liter engine, 173hp. The engine is completely reworked. The result was pretty interesting. Not exactly fast, but a great handler and a rare car.

[75evo]

I hope the 159 WTCC will have a 2.2 JTS non-turbo with about 200-210 bhp. A semi-race seat (must be light weignt), but not a full race one as getting in and out will be a complete chore. The Sparco Roadster is a good example.

A set of lightweight 17" wheels would be nice, a very spartan interior (no power windows in the back, just the fronts), less sound padding, minor suspension mods, a lightweight exhaust etc.

Not looking for fast, but a nice well rounded package.

[Alfa Maxwell]

BMW's WTCC homologation special is not all that quick in a straight line.
Maybe that is why Alfa wants to put a turbo on the road car. While Alfa could get 240hp from a two liter, a turbo would be an easier way to give the road version more hp.

The turbo won't be on the WTCC cars, but RWD can be used on the racing version as a result of building these 2500 RWD 159's.

[Denny164l]

Hey did they knock down the HP?? wasnt it 2L max of 275HP? NA? Im pretty sure they can pull 240hp without the turbo sounds kind of odd to me. only 240hp 2L with Turbo?? regular NA civics tuned up a little can hit 250hp no problem.

[RussianM3_dude]

I think you are missing the point. The engine will have to be NA to pass homologation requirements. So, 1.9 JTS and maybe 180 hp. It is not the power that is important, just the configuration. Example the WTCC 320SI does not use Valvetronic, only regular cable throttle, hence the roadgoing SI has the same. Plus the block on the road car is overengineered.

[Alfa Maxwell]

"The engine will have to be NA to pass homologation requirements"

The 2 liter engine is already homologated. The RWD will be homologated when they make 2500 RWD road cars. Making it legal to run a 159 with RWD is the main reason to build the cars.

Unlike BMW, whose road car has only 173 hp, it would seem that Alfa would like this special car to have more power than that and have added a turbo to the 2 liter engine of the road version to reach that 240 hp mark.

Anyway, I guess that if they are going to this much trouble for the WTCC/Super2000 formula the odds of a DTM effort aren't too good.

I do hope that they would enter the SuperStars with the 159 GTA, even if WTCC is Alfa's motorsport focus.

[MALDI]

Any news or rumors as to whether NTechnology will run the Alfa WTCC effort in 2007?

[dretceterini]

The current N/A 2 liter motor used in the WTCC cars produces about 285 REAL horsepower. I doubt if they could get 240 out of a street version and still make it reliable. Around 200 hp would be my guess, if they actually do build the 2500 159 RWD cars needed for homoligation. The street version would also be VERY expensive, and would still get blown away by cars like a MazdaSpeed 6, which only costs about $30,000. I can't see Fiat acually willing to spend the kind of money needed to build a 159 RWD racing car. This whole thing sounds like someone's fantasy to me....

[RussianM3_dude]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dretceterini The current N/A 2 liter motor used in the WTCC cars produces about 285 REAL horsepower. I doubt if they could get 240 out of a street version and still make it reliable. Around 200 hp would be my guess, if they actually do build the 2500 159 RWD cars needed for homoligation. The street version would also be VERY expensive, and would still get blown away by cars like a MazdaSpeed 6, which only costs about $30,000. I can't see Fiat acually willing to spend the kind of money needed to build a 159 RWD racing car. This whole thing sounds like someone's fantasy to me....

[Alfa Maxwell]

Doesn't the BMW 320si have a carbon roof?
Anyway, I doubt that BMW will have much problem moving 2500 cars.

I guess whether 2500 159ti's will sell is a matter of what Alfa charges for their car, if they do indeed feel a need to have RWD in the WTCC racer.